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Regular Council Meeting <br />June 24, 2013 <br />Page 8 <br />Mayor Hashmi invited citizens to speak about this item. Citizen Jerry Haning asked if <br />water and sewer taps would be placed at each vacant lot when line replacements were being <br />made, so that the streets did not have to be dug up again later. Mr. Napier answered in the <br />affirmative, in that they would be doing split service taps where necessary. Mayor Hashmi said <br />the intent was the bond money would be spent primarily on sewer and water line replacements <br />and that they understood that road repairs would be required, but if road repairs could be patched <br />then that it what they would do. He also said that they were going to try to do the water and <br />sewer lines under the sidewalks. Barney Bray, 3220 Mahaffey, said road work was separate <br />from pipe and the work should be bid separately. He also said if they went with one huge job, <br />they would find there were less qualified companies to bid 12 or 15 million dollar jobs and they <br />wouldn't get a cheaper price. Reeves Hayter agreed with Mr. Bray and added that engineers are <br />selected on qualifications. Mr. Hayter said if they contracted with an outside firm, there would <br />be a cost factor and an economic factor. Johnny Lee, 2306 Simpson, said he knew about <br />effective project management and financial due diligence. Mr. Lee that good project <br />management would include items that needed to be done concurrently in whatever precise order <br />was most efficient for the budget, for the money that was available and the drawing down of <br />those funds. Mayor Hashmi asked City Council to consider Mr. Anderson's questions. He said <br />he thought they should sell the bonds as soon as possible, because the bond was approved and <br />the interest rates were low; that he thought they should go with about 35 million dollars; that <br />they issue RFP's for a single engineering firm, so that one person be responsible for the project. <br />He added that the responsible firm/person could bid out work with smaller firms; the engineering <br />firm should be one; that the construction firm should be another and the project manager or <br />oversight should be with another company. Mayor Hashmi stressed these were his thoughts and <br />was open to what was best for the City and citizens. With regard to whether or not should the <br />City continue to utilize an in -house crew for smaller projects, Mayor Hashmi said he thought the <br />in -house crew was meant for year zero and not to be used for bond money projects and he was <br />not in favor of the in -house crew working on that project. Mayor Hashmi said he would leave to <br />the experts whether or not to hire additional inspectors. He said he wanted to get the appropriate <br />companies on the project and get it done in a timely fashion. Mr. Anderson said primarily staff <br />needed to know the amount of initial bonds Council wanted to be sold and Mayor Hashmi said <br />he recommended 35 million dollars. Council Member Wright inquired about the stipulation of <br />three years. Mr. Anderson said if the money was not used in three years there could be possible <br />arbitrage issues. Council Member Wright said 35 million dollars was reasonable. Council <br />Member Lancaster agreed with Council Member Wright. Council Member Grossnickle said the <br />amount of money was fine, but favored using a couple of engineering firms and was in favor of <br />utilizing local firms in an effort to get the work done quicker. Council Member Drake wanted to <br />know if they could spend the 35 million dollars in three years and Mr. Anderson said there was <br />no way to know that. Mayor Hashmi inquired of Council if 35 million dollars was acceptable <br />